At Last
by LilFlyergirl
Summary: updated! SS Takes place before the Goodbye Girl episode... Seth has to make a choice, and his choice may surprise even himself. A little RM too
1. Summer, Anna, and Shrek

At Last

Disclaimer: I don't own any of the gorgeous men characters of the OC… yet. Okay, twist my arm… I don't own anything related to the show. The title, At Last refers to the song by Ella Fitzgerald. That song will be in the last chapter.

Chapter 1: Summer, Anna, and Shrek 

Seth should have realized the death sentence Anna had placed upon him with her words. _'I'm going back to Pittsburgh.'_ She had said it so carelessly, like she was actually happy about it. Shoot him now. He was ready for the green mile. He didn't know how he was supposed to take this. He wasn't sure how he felt about Anna, but he knew he didn't want her to go. Someone caressed his hair. He looked over. It was Summer.

She ran her fingers through his hair again. "Where are you?"

            "Here. I'm here, Summer. Where else would I be?"

            "I don't know." She bit her bottom lip. "Anna."

He choked, "What?"

            "This is about Anna!"

            "No---" He started.

She got out of his bed and put her hands on her hips. "Then who were you thinking about? It wasn't me!" She grabbed his pillow and threw it at him.

            "Hey!" He protested. "I was!" He said quietly.

            "Cohen," She said, exasperated. 

            "Seth!" He yelled. "My first name is Seth! Will you use it!"

            "I knew this would be about Anna, ever since she said she was leaving…" She continued, ignoring him. "Why are you with me when you still have feelings for her?"

Seth's mouth dropped open like a cash register making a sale. It was like she actually cared about him, under the ice princess exterior, there was this little sweet girl. But hadn't their whole relationship been based on sex?

His thoughtful silence did nothing to calm her nerves. She grabbed her jacket and fought back her tears. "You told me 'it was always me' for you. I should have known it was just another line from just another guy." 

And before he could do or say anything, she had left him standing in his bedroom, alone.

Blood finally traveled to his legs, and he was out his bedroom door, down the stairs and into the foyer. Empty except for Ryan, who was digging in his book bag. 

            "Has Summer been down here?" He asked.  
Ryan looked up at him. "Yeah. She steam rolled through the door, nearly flattening me. She seemed upset."

Seth smacked both hands to his head.

            "Are you alright, man?" Ryan asked.

            "No. I'm not alright. My Oreo sundae just ran out the door, and my deep dish pizza is getting on a plane."

Ryan arched his brows at him.

            "Sit down," Seth moped. "And listen to a poor man's misery." He quickly relayed the whole horrible scene upstairs.

After a minute's consideration, Ryan replied, "Do you still have feelings for Anna?"

            "I don't know. But I know I don't want her to leave. She's the first girl I really connected with. But then there's Summer. I liked her nearly my whole life, and now that I have her, it's not what I expected."

            "You mean the ignoring you thing?"

            "Right," Seth said. "It's like she's an onion. All these layers. She's Shrek, man. She's Shrek."

Ryan gave a grin. "You know, with girls like Summer, they always hide who they really are in public. I guess she's…" He paused, "okay underneath."

Seth nodded. "She's a totally different person when we're alone." He rubbed his hands through his unruly patented Cohen hair. "Here I am, singing a sad song when my friend Ryan is in a sea of his own women."

            "If you start singing Old Man River, I'm out of here." Ryan grinned.

Seth opened his mouth at what could have been a likely note, and then waved his hand, "How's the Marissa/Theresa thing?"

Ryan shook his head. "Complicated. We're in the same boat."

            "Ah," Seth nodded. "You know, Old Man---"

            "Don't say it."

            "But we're in this together."

            "Seth---"

            "_He just keeps rolling along_," Seth said quickly.

Ryan walked out the door.

            "What?!" Seth asked after him. "I said nothing."

The door opened again. Ryan grinned, and walked back out.__


	2. Thoughts

Hi, thanks for reviewing, here's chap 2…..

Chapter 2: Thoughts

Summer felt like walking up to Seth Cohen, and ripping out his heart. Because that's what he did to her. It had taken her a long time- nearly a whole year, to admit to herself that she like him and this was the thanks she got? She pulled open the door of the school and marched inside. A few stared at her. Let them. She'd mow them down. She seriously wasn't in any mood today. Not like she was any other day, but still. She spotted Anna by her locker and hurried over. "He still has feelings for you."

Anna turned. "Hi."

            "Cohen. He's still got feelings for you."

            "We broke up, Summer." Anna said, shutting her locker. "The only reason I broke up with him was because he loves you." 

Summer avoided her eyes, "He may have… but not anymore."

Anna actually laughed aloud and closed her locker. "Walk with me."

Summer fell into step beside her and the two made their way down the hall. Summer, as usual turned more than a few of the guy's heads. Six months ago she would have cared. But not anymore.

            "So what happened?" Anna asked.

            "He thinks about you--- I mean constantly."

            "It's because I'm leaving. We are friends, you know. How would you feel if one of your friends was leaving?"

            "You are my friend, Anna. I just…" Summer bit her bottom lip. She just **what** exactly?

            "Well, when I'm gone, Seth will be all yours again. He's been all yours since the moment he saw you, you just… didn't see him."

Summer felt her eyes fill with tears. Ah, guilt. It was a new feeling for her, something she never thought she'd experience over how she treated Seth Cohen. He didn't exist to her until recently.  She gave a small nod, and rushed into the bathroom, nearly knocking Marissa over.

            "Sum?"

Summer dashed to the mirror, and dabbed at her eyes.

Marissa crossed her arms in back of her. "What happened?"

Summer gave a little sob. "Nothing…"

            "Start talking."

            "It's Cohen," She whispered.

            "Seth?" Marissa asked, walking up beside her and sitting on the vanity. "What did he do?"

            "Nothing. And everything," Summer replied, wielding her arms about. "Now look at me. I look so… so… eww."

Marissa wet a paper towel and handed it to Summer. "Start talking."

Summer opened her mouth to speak, but caught the reflection of a freshman entering in the mirror. She turned on her heel and stared at the girl. "This bathroom is off limits."

The girl's mouth flopped open. "I didn't see a sign…"

            "Well, maybe you should have looked closer!" Summer snapped.

The girl stared at her.

            "Go! Vamanos!" Summer insisted, making shooing motions with her hands.

The girl turned, and left the bathroom.

            "Summer," Marissa said exasperated.

            "Okay. So, yeah--- Cohen. We're laying on his bed, and he starts thinking about Anna!"

            "He started to **think** about Anna?" Marissa asked.

Summer nodded. "I could tell. Why should he be thinking about Anna while he's with me?"

            "Maybe he wasn't at all. This is Seth. Maybe he was going over a Rooney song in his head."

Summer gave her a look. "Trust me. I know he was thinking of her."

            "I think you should talk to him about it. I mean, you didn't get into him until Anna showed up."

            "Why does everyone keep saying that?" Summer asked.

Marissa stared at her. "Because it's the truth?"

Summer sighed.

            "Well, what do you like about him?"

Summer stared at her. "I… I don't know."

It was Marissa's turn to stare.

            "He's had me on this pedestal since I met him, Coop. I just don't want to lose him. I don't want to let him down."

            "Why would you let him down?"

Summer didn't answer her. She just stared at her reflection, at the tears threatening to fall.


End file.
